Zambales town honors farmers at Singkamas Fest
SAN MARCELINO, ZAMBALES—The streets in this town came alive with color and rhythm as residents and local officials wrapped up their six-day Singkamas Festival on Sunday with a lively grand parade and street dancing competition celebrating its prized root crop.
Known as the “Singkamas Capital” of the province, the municipality holds the annual celebration in honor of the crisp, sweet jicama that flourishes in its farmlands.
Beyond the revelries, the festival serves as a tribute to generations of local farmers whose livelihoods have long been rooted in cultivating the town’s signature produce.
Vibrant performances portraying the planting and harvest of the crop, accompanied by creatively designed floats, became a moving tribute to the town’s agricultural heritage and the farmers behind its celebrated harvest.
It served as the highlight of the festival, which ran from Feb. 17 to Feb. 22 and coincided with the town fiesta.
Throughout the week, activities such as the Farmers and Singkamas Vendors Night, the Kadiwa ng Pangulo market fair, dance showdowns and variety performances complemented the main events while honoring local farmers.
Livelihood
Cristina Prado, 70, of Barangay Consuelo Sur, stood behind neatly arranged piles of freshly harvested “singkamas,” greeting buyers with a warm smile and easy conversation during the festival.
For five decades, she has been selling singkamas near the barangay hall, a modest roadside stall that has become a familiar sight to residents and visitors alike.
What began as a small livelihood she inherited from her mother has now grown into a family venture. She is assisted by her three sons, ages 48, 46 and 38, who help manage the stall from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Prado shared that their singkamas are sourced from farmlands in the villages of Linasin and Nagbayan, areas known for producing the town’s signature crop.
Although harvests are no longer as abundant as they once were, Prado said sales increase significantly during the festival compared to ordinary days.
Through changing seasons and fluctuating harvests, she has remained steadfast, embodying the perseverance of local farmers and vendors whose lives are deeply intertwined with the town’s prized root crop.
For Prado, selling singkamas is more than a source of income—it is a legacy, a daily ritual and a proud contribution to the agricultural heritage that the festival celebrates.
As the final performances ended, the vibrant celebration underscored the town’s deep connection to its agricultural roots.
More than just an annual festivity, organizers said the Singkamas Festival is a celebration of the town’s identity—a reminder that from its rich soil grows not only a prized root crop, but also a strong sense of community and shared heritage.
